Instinctive
by Sierra Janeway
Summary: Detective Kate Beckett is in for an interesting ride when another author joins Castle in following her around. On top of that, she's reluctantly drawn into the emotional center of a case when a victim takes a special interest in her.


_Disclaimer: All original characters and such belong to ABC. I own the characters I created as well as the new plot._

**Summary: **Detective Kate Beckett is in for an interesting ride when another author joins Castle in following her around. On top of that, she's reluctantly drawn into the emotional center of a case when a victim takes a special interest in her.

**Chronology: **Not sure yet; probably current season

**Pairings: **None right now.

**Rating: **T for situations and probably some mild cursing.

**Author's Note:** I warned you there were more new stories on the horizon! Sorry it's been so long since I updated, but every time I think I have things under control, a zillion more things appear that take priority over fanfiction, I'm afraid. Like my first novel, which I'm aiming to finish by this summer's end. But I promise you I am working on updates whenever I can steal a moment!

That being said, I hope you enjoy this intro to my Castle fanfiction! Castle has beaten out CSI: Miami for the honor of 'My Favorite TV Show', so I'm happy to finally get this posted.

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**Instinctive**

Richard Castle glared through the darkness at his opponent, crouched in a battle stance. The shadowy, robed figure was crouched in the same fashion.

"Yield now while you can," he said threateningly.

"Never!" The blue glow of the lightsaber reflected on his opponent's face, set determinedly.

"You know you cannot win. Join the Dark Side and I will be merciful." He slipped into a slick, coaxing tone. "Besides, there is more power to be had with us. Let your anger give you power!"

"Anger is a controlling emotion. It has no place with a Jedi. It has no power, only darkness. Anger inevitably becomes hate, and hate always leads to suffering."

Castle laughed evilly. "Then die for your principles!" He raised his own red lightsaber and rushed at his adversary.

The blurry figure raised their lightsaber to fend off the attack, and then leapt backwards onto the couch. Castle swiped at their legs and they stepped onto the couch's backrest and leapt from there onto the floor, now on the other side of the furniture from him. He jumped around the couch and swiped in the general direction of their head, but they easily parried the blow.

In sequence, Castle attacked and was warded off, and then his opponent would get in a few offensive swipes and force him to defend himself. The electrical humming and buzzing as the lightsabers sliced through the air and collided was the only noise in the darkness. For several minutes they fought an epic battle of good versus evil, leaping on, off, and around all sorts of furniture, as well as the stairs.

Suddenly, the door opened and let in a slice of light, and a foreign voice demanded loudly, "WHAT is going ON in here?"

Confused, Castle turned in the direction of the noise. The momentary distraction was all his challenger needed, and they swiftly brought the blue blade down to strike his shoulder where it met his neck in a 'death blow'.

"Hey!" he protested. He jabbed his pointer finger angrily at them, explaining sternly, "That does not count."

They shrugged. "I saw an opportunity and took it. It totally counts."

The lights suddenly flicked on and Martha stood in the doorway with Alexis, her hand on the light switch. "Richard! What is all this?" She gestured at the scattered furniture and the two people wearing Jedi robes and holding lightsabers in the middle of the room.

He paused, and then replied nonchalantly, "What's it look like?"

Martha shook her head.

Alexis laughed a little and rolled her eyes. "So who's the Jedi, Mister Sith?"

The Jedi figure pulled back the hood to reveal a young woman with voluminous brown curly hair and dark green eyes that flashed happily.

Alexis' own eyes went wide and she dropped her school bag at the door and ran to hug the woman. "Rain!"

Rain caught her up in a tight bear hug. "Lexi! Oh my gosh, I've missed you!"

After they hugged, Alexis stepped back, laughing and shaking her head in confusion. "How did you get here?"

"A plane."

"Come on, you know what I mean! When did you get here, and why? Not that I'm not excited to see you. Dad didn't say anything." She glanced at her father in confusion.

"Of course he didn't. Why would he announce that his competitor, and likely his better, was going to be in town?"

Castle snorted. "You wish."

"Will you two stop that?" Martha sounded stern but she was smiling as she joined the group and fiercely hugged Rain. "It's good to see you again dear."

"Thanks Martha."

"So what brings you out here?" Alexis repeated.

Rain shrugged out of her Jedi robes and deactivated the lightsaber, collapsing its plastic blade sections. "Oh, not much," she said with an air of faux nonchalance. "Just…kicking off a book tour." She grinned widely.

"What?" Alexis' face was full of happy surprise. "I thought _Criminal Fantasy _wasn't due out until the fall!"

"It wasn't. But my editor lit a fire under my butt, to the tune of several thousand dollars I might add, and I wrapped it up weeks ago. We finished the book trailer three days ago as we planned out the tour. I kick it off in about week, but I'm officially announcing the book's completion and the surprise new date on my personal website and Facebook and whatnot as of tonight."

"That's awesome Rain! When do I get to read it?"

Rain smiled. "There's a copy on the kitchen table with your name on it."

Alexis ran to get it.

Martha smiled at the young author. "I hear the fans have been waiting on pins and needles for this one."

"The hype is unbelievable. Who would have thought that mixing a high school age private detective with ghosts, a school play, and a psychotic serial killer would make teenagers so excited? The numbers my editor is predicting are just…crazy!"

"Not bad for twenty-one years old."

She blushed a little at that but beamed. "No, not bad at all."

Castle snorted. "Do I even have to remind you what kinds of numbers I got for the last Derek Storm novel?" He gave Rain a pointed look and added, "Or the first Nikki Heat novel?"

"Richard! Please." Martha Rogers frowned at her son. "Honestly, you two are at each other's throats so much it's hard to fathom that you're actually friends."

"Frenemies," Rain explained. "Sort of enemies in public, but friends outside of the limelight. Rivalry sells books."

"Exactly." Castle smiled and held his arms out with his palms up and fingers spread to indicate how well Rain had put his thoughts into words. "Besides," he added as he spun and began to articulate his speech with dozens of little hand gestures. "The whole situation is too perfect not to take advantage of: famous mystery novelist agrees to help with crime writing workshop weekend and is instantly drawn to the work of one young writer in particular. He tutors her in the fine arts of fictional murder and mayhem and she quickly approaches his own skill level. They depart from the workshop but stay in touch. One day, she sends him a potential manuscript and he, through many years of literary experience, recognizes potential gold. He tells her so and helps her to revise and expand the tale, and then gets her in contact with a literary agent. Several months later, _The Weapon_ by Rain Walker-Daniels hits shelves and the author becomes wealthy overnight as the copies literally fly off the shelves." He paused for dramatic emphasis before adding, "You can't make up something like that."

"Exactly. We just don't correct the papers and stuff when they hint at jealousy and fear that the protégé may exceed the master on the part of Mr. Richard Castle. We're actually both just competitive by nature."

"But really it's no big deal. We're not quite in the same genre."

"Or age group. I have the young adult portion eating out of my hand, or so says the editor man."

"And I cater mainly to an adult audience."

"So it's not a problem," they finished together.

Alexis had returned with the novel and was standing next to Martha as they did so. "The frenemies speech?" she asked in response to Martha's look of exasperation.

"So you've heard it too?"

"Yep." Alex shook her head at the two immature adults.

Martha threw up her hands, as though freeing herself of the whole mess, and headed towards the kitchen. "I never will understand you two. Who's hungry?"

Dinner saw a continuation of the fake fighting between the two authors, but the tone was light and joking.

"I have an actual detective to observe," Castle reported importantly. "Do _you_ have an actual detective to observe?"

"As a matter of fact I _do _have an actual detective to observe."

"Really."

"Yes really."

"What's her name?"

"His."

"His then."

"His name is Evan Donner."

"Old and wrinkly, maybe retired."

"Try young and hot and definitely the current physical fitness record holder."

"Ha!"

"Ha indeed." Rain whipped out her cell phone and slid it across the table to Castle. "Check out my wallpaper."

"Whoa," the elder author admitted, eyebrows bouncing to his hairline. "Young and hot and definitely has his arm around you."

"Like I said," she smirked. "He's not that much older, either." She paused to spear a forkful of spaghetti and twirled it messily. "So this Nikki Heat is based on one Detective Kate Beckett of the NYPD who has the misfortune of being shadowed by _you_ day in and day out."

Alex rolled her eyes at the sparring match but smiled. "Would you pass the bread please?"

Rain pushed the basket her way as Rick Castle countered her previous statement with a loud "HA! You're just jealous."

"Why? I have my very own hot detective."

"Not with the NYPD you don't."

"So? The Philly PD could kick the NYPD's butt, any day, any time."

"Could not."

"Could too."

"Could not!"

"Ok guys, come on," Alex chastised them. "Let's keep it civil."

Castle was about to retort with another witty comment on the relative merits of New York City police versus those of the Philadelphia based police force when his cell phone rang, the screen lighting up, blasting music, and dancing in a semi-circle on the tabletop. He snatched it up and checked the caller ID. "Speaking of the NYPD…it's Detective Beckett," he announced importantly.

"You mean _Kate_, don't you?" Rain teased.

Castle frowned at her but mouthed the words 'also hot' with a smug little smile just before he answered the phone call, "Detective. What sort of dastardly deed do we need to investigate this time?"

Rain, Martha, and Alex watched the quick, mostly one-sided conversation with curiosity. When he finally said "Got it", and ended the call, they all leaned in a little.

"Well?" Rain asked.

Rick Castle went from mostly expressionless to kid-in-a-candy-store in a fraction of a second. "Shooting right around the corner from here!" He rocketed from the table to the door, only to be blocked by Rain.

"I'm going too."

The elder author made a surprised face and shook his head. "Um, no, you're not."

"Come on! I've never seen New York City crime up close and personal."

"Like you said, you have your own detective to observe." He tried to move her aside, but the young woman was surprisingly strong and stood her ground.

"Aren't authors supposed to expand their horizons?"

Castle tried to move her again with no success and sighed in defeat. "Fine, fine, you're costing me time! Let's go!"

"Be careful!" Martha and Alexis called after them as the door slammed.

Alexis looked at her grandmother. "Poor Beckett."

Martha nodded. "Poor Beckett indeed…"

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Author's Note: Hope you liked it! Reviews are greatly appreciated!


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